SMILE – you’ve just woken up in the fifth happiest place in the United Kingdom.

Yes, credit crunch aside, Wilmslow is officially part of the joyous elite according to the results of a 17-year-long survey.

Our patch finished number five in a table of 273 UK areas in a survey based on how happy people are with where they live.

Macclesfield Borough Council Leader Frank Keegan is of course happy – but unsurprised – by the results of the study by the British Household Panel. He said: "We suspected it without any firm evidence. People are quite happy here. We’ve got a low unemployment rate, good schools, health service, it’s a good place for families to settle. It doesn’t surprise us but we’re very pleased with it."

As well as looking at how people live and what they think of their well-being, the research looked for the first time at the importance of geography to produce a Happiness Map of the 273 district council areas of England, Wales and Scotland.

And location, location, location was the key to happiness for David Bolton, chairman of Wilmslow Business Group. He said the nearby countryside played a key part in making us happy - along with "dogs".

He said: "The fact that it is two minutes from the countryside, makes it nice to live here in Wilmslow. Also, people are a little better off financially and that makes life easier, there’s less stress. And, from that point of view, because it is known as an upmarket place it gives people a bit of pride and that puts a spring in their step."

He added: "People here also have a lot of dogs, and that keeps them calm, taking them out in the countryside."

Smiling Jennifer Bradley, 73, of Fawns Keep said: "I’ve lived here for a long time, about 50 years, and yes, I love it and don’t want to move away. It’s pleasant and I feel, in the day time anyway, it is safe although I would not go out at night."

And there’s no place like home for Khumi Burton of Wilmslow Lions who has lived in Wilmslow for the past three decades.

She said: " I have lived in Wilmslow all of my 32 years of marriage. Having come from a place like Manipur in India I did not know anyone else apart from my husband and his late wife’s friends who made me very welcome, as a young bride. The ‘old’ Wilmslow people are very friendly and polite - always tilting their hat or cap whenever one passes them. My husband and I have travelled quite widely all over the world but we are always very happy to come back ‘home. Wilmslow offers a variety of conveniences too, access to motorways, railways, airport, to big cities like Manchester and you are never far from the countryside even though it is becoming a very cosmopolitan and sophisticated gathering place."

She added: "Inspite of adverse comments there is still a great community spirit and the desire to preserve that spirit. To me it is home from home and I am very happy to be here. I would not dream of moving anywhere else."

Karen McCormick, chief executive of Cheshire Building Society, who lives in Mottram St Andrew, wasn’t surprised at the findings either.

She said: "Happiness comes from a sense of well-being and from us feeling secure and confident in what we set our minds to. A combination of employment opportunities and people wanting to make a difference really helps – I have always loved living here."

Elizabeth Broomhall, 26, said: "It’s a nice place to live for families although as a young professional I would rather live in the city. I can see why people are generally happy living here. It’s got lots of restaurants and not too far away from the countryside which means people have the best of both worlds. They can go out on a family walk in the country or for night out on the town."

And a Wilmslow man who declined to be named said: "I love it here, its great. It’s pleasant to be here, there’s plenty of nice females, cars and money - the three great things in life."

Initially conducted by the British Household Panel sSurvey, researchers from the Universities of Sheffield and Manchester then used information from it to draw up a map of happiness.

Employment, health and educational well-being were some of the factors taken into consideration.

The study also found that people who remained in the same place for five years tended to be happier and being out of work doesn’t necessarily spell misery apparently – as long as your neighbours are out of work as well.

Presented to the Royal Geographical Society / Institute of British Geographers’ annual conference in London, Dr Dimitris Ballas from Sheffield University and Dr Mark Tranmer of Manchester University analysed findings from the UK Census and the British Household Panel Survey, which every year since 1991 has questioned more than 10,000 people in 5,500 households across the UK.

Researcher Dr Ballas, said: "There really is something about the intrinsic nature of places which can influence happiness and well-being. The environment, lack of green spaces, air and noise pollution and crime rates all influence happiness."

Current statistics for the borough which may have helped rather than hindered Wilmslow on the happiness map include: Unemployment (Dec 07) 1..23 per cent per 1,865 of the population .Gross weekly pay (2007) per residence was £559.90 against a North West average of £432.70. And average life expectancy in (Dec 2006) was 78.8 years for males and 82.5 years for females.

What do you think? Let us know if you are happy living in Wilmslow and tell us why. Write to us at 15, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AE or email wilmslowexpress@menwn.co.uk